Terms of Endearments
by beingbored
Summary: Inukashi wants to know what Nezumi calls Shion in private. But Shion won't budge with the answer.


It was one of those rare days in which Shion didn't have any meetings or work. Normally, he would have spent the day with Nezumi, wandering around the new No. 6, visiting with friends, and just spending time in each other's company.

Sadly, Nezumi had a full day of rehearsal at the theater, meaning Shion was all alone. Well, not all alone. He still had his mother, Inukashi, little Shion, and Rikiga to keep him company. So it really was no surprise when Shion found himself at his mother's bakery, helping out.

"Shion, you really don't need to help me. It's your day off, go rest," Karan said as she pulled out a fresh batch of cheese muffins.

Shion smiled and continued to knead the bread dough. "I like helping out. I feel like we never get to see each other and I love baking with you."

"Yes, I suppose. At least you're not like Inukashi. I swear, when that child helps me more food disappears than when Lilli is here."

Shion couldn't help but laugh at this. As it turns out, Inukashi had a real sweet tooth. They loved going to Karan's bakery and trying out new recipes, if only because it was free food. Shion was convinced they could gorge themselves on all the sweets in the world and still not be satisfied. They especially loved brownies.

"I'm sure once little Shion gets old enough, your going to have more food missing. Inukashi isn't a great role model." He laughed. They continued to talk a little more while mixing, stirring, chopping and preheating. Shion really loved this. He loved spending time with the people he cared about, even if it was just to sit in front of a hot stove all day and pop out muffin after muffin.

Finally, the last customer was shooed out the door, the leftover food was distributed among Inukashi, Lilli and some other neighborhood children, and the lights were flipped off.

Shion collapsed in a cozy armchair next to Inukashi. Lilli was in the other room, playing with Shion, trying to teach the toddler the right way to play dolls. Inukashi was munching on a brownie, of course. It was an unspoken rule that all leftover brownies automatically went to Inukashi.

"Anyone who thinks working in a bakery is easy has clearly never worked in a bakery," Shion huffed.

Inukashi shook their head. "I hear ya. It's tough work being on your feet all day. I'm always tired after helping your mom out."

"I don't think that's from working. I think that's from consuming your body weight in sweets." Shion turned to smile at Inukashi.

Inukashi glared at him and turned back to the brownie. "I thought you would have been out of here like a bullet to spend some 'quality time' with the rat."

Shion cringed. "Why do you have to say 'quality time' like that? It sounds dirty. Besides, Nezumi won't be done with practice for another three hours."

"I say 'quality time' because I bet you two aren't reading poetry, or figuring out how to save the world."

Shion blushed. "We do read poetry," he mumbled. He really shouldn't have said anything. Now he had opened himself up for an attack by Inukashi.

"Oh I'm sure you do read poetry. Maybe in a horizontal position? Tell me, Shion, do you top or does he?" Inukashi started laughing.

"Inukashi! I'm not discussing my sex life with you!" Shion shrieked. His face had become so dark, he looked like a cherry. The two kids playing in the other room didn't even bother coming into see what the grownups were talking about. For that, Shion was grateful. He did not need to explain to Lilli and little Shion what "topping" means. Or the concept of a sex life. Though he was surprised his mother hadn't come in here, scolding them for talking about such a lewd topic.

Inukashi threw back their head and laughed. "I'm just teasing you. You should see your face." They fell off the chair, shaking with laughter as Shion desperately tried to make his blush go away.

Finally, Inukashi stopped laughing and sat back down on the chair. "But what does he call you?"

"What, like Shion?"

"No, not that." Inukashi rolled their eyes. "Like when you're being intimate. What kind of lovey-dovey names does he use?" Inukashi asked, popping the last of the brownie in their mouth.

"Why do you want to know?" Shion blushed again, though this time it was because he was thinking of Nezumi's term of endearment. God, every time he said it, it made Shion's stomach twist in a feeling he could really only describe as love.

"Well, I know he calls you 'your majesty' sometimes."

"There you go. That's what he calls me."

Inukashi tossed the brownie wrapper at his head. "No, I mean like in really intimate moments. I know the stupid rat can be romantic when he wants, but how romantic? Does he call you baby? Honey? Sweetheart?"

Shion blushed some more. It wasn't that Nezumi didn't call him those things, but he also didn't want Inukashi to know his favorite.

"Naw, those seem to…common. Nezumi's all about the flair. Maybe sugar-pie?" Inukashi continued to mutter to themselves.

At this, Shion burst out laughing. Just the thought of Nezumi calling him sugar-pie as an endearment was too weird. He imagined Nezumi saying it, compete with sparkles floating around his head and a pink background. Shion doubled over, trying to catch his breath.

"Does Nezumi really strike you as the type to call anything sugar-pie?" Shion said, trying to control his laughter.

"What's so funny?" Karan walked in carrying some left-overs for Shion to take back.

"Inukashi thinks Nezumi calls me sugar-pie in private," Shion said. He burst out laughing again.

"Hey, quit laughing. I just want to know what he calls you so I can make fun of him for it." Inukashi leapt up on the chair, shaking their fist at Shion.

"Now, now, Inukashi," Karan said. Her tone of voice was enough to get Inukashi to sit back down. Though they still glared at Shion who had since gotten his laughter under control.

"I'm not going to tell you," Shion said simply.

"Why not?"

"Because it's private," Karan said. "How would you like it if someone tried to pry into your personal life. I'm sure there are things special to you that you don't want other people to know about."

Inukashi deflated at this, looking rather petulant. "Fine, I won't press. But in my mind he still calls you sugar-pie at home."

Shion shook his head, grinning broadly. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

oOoOoOo

It was a few hours later at the little house Shion and Nezumi had. Karan's food had been devoured, Nezumi had taken a long shower to wash off the sweat of the day, and Shion had joined him.

They were laying bed with Nezumi's chest pressed to Shion's back. Nezumi's hand was laying on Shion's hip, stroking the skin there. Shion shivered as Nezumi continued to place light kisses on his shoulders and neck. Nezumi was always very cuddly after sex, not that Shion was complaining. He loved cuddling with Nezumi.

Shion dragged the hand on his hip up so that it was pressed to his chest. Nezumi gave one last peck to Shion's cheek before settling behind him.

"Are you alright?" Nezumi asked.

"Yeah? Why?"

"You were awfully quiet today. Normally I have to worry about the neighbors hearing us."

Shion smacked Nezumi's hand playfully. "I'm not that loud. And at least I don't break out into iambic pentameter."

Shion felt Nezumi smiling against his hair. "No, your sounds are more grunts, moans, and screams. Of course, I am such an amazing lover that I would turn your already small vocabulary into something much more animalistic. Sometimes it's like you can't even remember your own name."

Shion snorted. "I'm just tired from working in the bakery all day. And the conversation I had with Inukashi kept making me want to laugh."

"Well then, that makes sense. I wouldn't be too turned on if I kept thinking of that mutt."

"Nezumi, be nice."

Nezumi huffed and started nibbling at the back of Shion's neck once more. "What was the conversation?"

Shion tried not to moan as Nezumi's breath hit his neck. "Wanted to know what you called me when we're intimate," he managed to gasp.

Nezumi had shifted so he was now at Shion's shoulder. There were going to be marks there tomorrow. "What'd you say?"

"Nothing. Left it to the imagination-ah!" Shion gasped as Nezumi hit a particularly sensitive spot on his neck. "But that may have been for the worst. Inukashi now thinks you call me sugar-pie."

Much to Shion's disappointment, Nezumi stopped nibbling on him and pulled back. Shion turned to look at him, only to see Nezumi looking rather sad.

"Is sugar-pie really less embarrassing than what I call you?"

Shion smiled and wrapped his arms around Nezumi's neck, pulling the man back down. Nezumi was still very cautious with the love he gave. Even now Shion suspected he was holding back, trying not to let his emotions get trampled because he had given himself to Shion.

"No, it's not that. It's just, whenever you call me that, I feel so loved. And it feels like it's something I don't want anyone else to know. I don't really know how to explain it. I guess it's like if anyone else was to know, it would diminish the meaning or something." Shion finished. It was weird how something he thought he understood so clearly was something he couldn't put into words.

Nezumi smiled. "It's good to know you have a possessive side." He leaned in and kissed Shion gently.

"I do not." Shion mumbled against Nezumi's lips. But ultimately, he allowed Nezumi in. He allowed him to hold Shion close and stroke his skin. Shion ran his fingers through Nezumi's damp hair and wrapped his legs around Nezumi's waist, pulling him closer.

Nezumi pulled back, much to Shion's disappointment. But then he kissed his nose, much to Shion's pleasure.

"I take it that means you want to have another round, your majesty?" Nezumi practically purred into Shion's ear.

"God, yes." Shion couldn't help but pull Nezumi back into him.

"Well then, my little mouse, let me take care of you."

Shion's stomach twisted again and he pulled Nezumi up against him, giving him a messy kiss. He was glad no one else got to see this side of Nezumi. It was a side that Shion loved having all to himself.


End file.
